Tuning device for wind musical instruments



Oct. 18, 1949. c. H. STRUPE TUNING DEVICE FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May 1, 1946 INVENT R: Cscu. H. STR PE.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 18, 1 949 TUNING DEVICE FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Cecil H. Strupe, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to The H. N. White Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application May 1, 1946, Serial No. 666,312

This invention relates, as indicated, to a tuning device for wind musical instruments.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a tuning device of the character described, the threaded portions of which are preserved against corrosion, caused by saliva, throughout the life or use of the instrument.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tuning device of the character described, having sealing means so located as to preclude any moisture which enters the joint between parts of the tuning device from gaining access to the threaded portions or adjusting nut of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tuning device of the character described, which has the joints between various parts thereof so located as to improve the tonal qualities of the instrument.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tuning device of the character described, having pilot means of novel construction, designed to take side thrust between the parts of the device to preclude breakage of the seal between said parts.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a wind instrument embodying the novel tuning device;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the elements or parts constituting the tuning device;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the tuning device;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and

Fig, 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5 -,5 of Fig. 3. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the tuning device will be seen to comprise a tubular member I having a central passageway 2, one end of which is counterbored, as at 3, for the reception of the mouthpiece portion 4 of the body of a wind musical instrument, in this instance, a clarinet. The portion 4 of the instrument is soldered or otherwise secured within the aforesaid counterbore 3 of the member I.

The tubular member I is provided with an annular recess 5, within which is disposed a tubular sleeve 6 of cork or the like, the outer diameter of which is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the member I. The member I is also provided with an annular embossment or enlargement I adjacent the counterbored end thereof, which is provided with right hand screw threads 8, the enlargement I being interrupted at diametrically-opposite points to provide lon- 1 Claim. (Cl. 84386) gitudinally-extending slots 9 and I0. The member I is also oounterbored, as at II, to provide a shoulder or abutment I2, the function of which will hereinafter appear.

The tuning device also includes a tubular slide I3, which has a slide fit over the cork sleeve 6, and is provided adjacent one end with an annular enlargement I4, similar to the enlargement I of the member I, and provided with left hand screw threads I5. The slide it is also provided with diametrically-opposite guide bars or prongs I6 and H, which project from the slide adjacent the threaded enlargement I4, and are adapted for sliding movement in the slots 9 and I0, so as to guide the slide I3 rectilinearly and prevent rota tion of the slide relatively to the member I during the adjustment of the slide relatively to the member I, which will be presently described.

A mouthpiece cup or socket element I8 is also provided, which is adapted for the reception of a reed mouthpiece of conventional design or construction. The cup I8 has an annular extension I9 which extends into that end of the slide I3 which is opposite the threaded end, and is soldered or otherwise permanently secured to the slide. The cup It has a second annular extension 20 of the same internal diameter as the extension I9, but of somewhat smaller outside diameter than the extension I9, so as to leave an annular space 2! between the extension 20 and the inner wall of the slide I3, for the reception of that end of the member I which has the counterbore II therein.

The tuning device further includes a nut 22 which encircles portions of the member I and slide I3, and is provided on its inner surface with a series of right hand threads 23 which engage the right hand threads 8 of the member I, and with a series of left hand threads 24 which engage the left hand threads I5 of the slide I3. The nut is also provided with an annular extension 25, which encircles the portion of the member I which extends beyond the threaded enlargement 'I. To facilitate rotation of the nut 22, during use of the tuning device, the outer surface of the nut is knurled as at 26.

The operation or use of the aforesaid tuning device will be readily apparent from the aforesaid description, but may be briefly described as follows:

Rotation of the nut 22 in one direction will cause the slide I3 to move away from the member I, thereby increasing the length and volume of the air column of the instrument. Rotation of the nut in the opposite direction will cause the slide I3 to move towards the member I, thereby decreasing the length and volume of the air column of the instrument. In either event, the tone of the instrument is varied in a desired manner. 7 g g m was During the aforesaid movement or adjustment, the guide bars or prongs IE and I! are, as previously stated, effective to guide the slide I3 rectilinearly and to prevent rotation of the slide relatively to the member I.

In order to prevent jamming between the enlargement I of the member I and the enlargement M of the slide I3, to thereby insure that the nut 22 can at all times be freely rotated, the relative dimensions of the slide I3 and annular extension 20 of the cup I8 are such that the end of the extension 20 will abut the shoulder or abutment I2 of the counterbore II before the end of the enlargement I4 of the slide can abut the enlargement I of the member I.

The annular extension 25 of the nut serves to conceal as well as to protect the threads 8 of the member I as well as the prongs I6 and I1. These threads and prongs, moreover, are protected from corrosion, due to saliva, by virtue of the fact that access to these threads by saliva can be had only through the joint between the member I and the slide I3, and even if saliva should enter such joint, it could not pass through the seal provided by the cork sleeve 6. In like manner, corrosion of the threads I5, as well as of the threads of the nut 22, is effectively prevented.

The specific location of the cork seal, as well as the specific location of the joint between the member I and slide I3, also result in an appreciable improvement in the tonal qualities of the instrument.

The combination of the inner surface of the outer end of the member I and the annular extension 20 of the cup I8 provides a pilot or guide which not only facilitates assembly of the slide with the member I, but is effective to take any side thrust of the slide relatively to the member I during assembly of the parts or use of the instrument. This avoids breaking the seal provided by the cork sleeve, which might otherwise cause looseness at these points.

It is thus seen that I have provided, in a reed musical instrument, a thread-controlled tuning barrel for lengthening and shortening the bore length of the instrument to change the pitch of the instrument, and that I have also provided means for limiting the bore gap which is created inside the instrument (which is the gap between the shoulder I2 and the end of the annular extension 20) to a position or location which, in this case, is at a maximum of about from the end of the body assembly, thereby improving the tone quality of the instrument.

It is also seen that I have provided, in a reed musical instrument, a thread-controlled tuning barrel for lengthening and shortening the bore of the instrument for changing the pitch of the instrument, means for sealing the bore of the instrument from the threaded portions of the instrument, thereby maintaining improved tone quality and preventing moisture and saliva from corroding said threaded portions.

Finally, it is seen that I have provided, in a reed musical instrument, a thread-controlled tuning barrel for lengthening and shortening the bore of the instrument, a seal between the bore of the instrument and the threaded portions thereof, along with means for piloting the mouthpiece receiver portion of the barrel in the body assembly of the instrument, thereby protecting the seal from becoming loosened or broken due to side thrusts on the tuning barrel.

It is to be understood that the form of my 'invention, herein described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a tuning device of the character described, a tubular member having a counterbored end portion, a second tubular member slidable relative to said first member, a mouthpiece cup secured to said second member and having an annular extension concentric with and spaced radially inwardly from the inner wall of said second tubular member, said counterbored end of said first member having a slide fit in the space between said inner wall and said extension.

CECIL H. STRUPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,194,887 Solberg Aug. 15, 1916 1,374,758 Nenneker Apr. 12, 1921 1,416,898 Sinclair May 23, 1922 1,705,634 Bettoney Mar. 19, 1929 1,736,880 Gulick Nov. 26, 1929 1,821,655 Loomis Sept. 1, 1931 1,837,227 Loomis -1 Dec. 22, 1931 1,867,481 Todt July 12, 1932 2,036,356 Pedler Apr. 7, 1936 2,098,457 Loomis Nov. 9, 1937 2,138,500 Miessner Nov. 29, 1938 

